As a result of the new housing lottery process at Winston-Salem State, more than 500 students were placed on a waiting list.
For these students, the time to start looking for an apartment is now.
The Housing and Residence life office is offering off-campus housing fairs to assist those students who are making the transition from on-campus to off-campus living.
Mark Saunders, a property manager for Home Real Estate, said the sooner students begin to look for their new apartment the better.
“It is important for students to start early because apartments will begin to fill up quickly,” Saunders said.
Saunders said his most important advice to students is to get renters’ insurance.
“A lot of people do not understand how important and inexpensive renters’ insurance is,” he said.
“Property owners are not responsible for any damage to a tenant’s personal items,”?he said. “The best thing to do is to get the insurance so if anything happens you are covered.”
Saunders suggests that students research what types of heating sources are used at the property they are looking to rent.
“There are four types of heating sources: electric, gas, propane and oil,” he said.
“Each has its own associated cost, and students should find out which will work best for them.”
When moving into any new place, students should be concerned about their safety. Saunders advises students to check out the place more than once and check police statistics.
“Visit the apartment once during the morning, afternoon and evening so you can get a feel for what type of activity goes on in the neighborhood,” he said.
“The Fair Housing Act does not allow property managers to discuss the security of a neighborhood, but you can always call and check the crime statistics at the police station,” Saunders said.
Saunders said it is important to ask questions and be up front with your landlord about pets.
“It does not hurt to ask if the property manager will waive the deposit,”?Saunders said.
“Sometimes managers will have a vacant property for a long time and are willing to work with you to lower the deposit so that they can sell the unit.
“If you want to have pets, tell your landlord. Do not try to sneak them in,” he warns.
He says doing this will only hurt the tenant in the long run because some insurance does not cover pet incidents.
Saunders said apartment hunting is all about finding the best deal for your money. The best way to do this is to make sure you know what is included in your rent.
“Always ask if water, heat, electric or trash pick up are included,” Saunders said.